Snow Train Weekend 2009

January 10 & 11

Amidst much fanfare, Hannes Schneider arrived by train in North Conway with his wife and two children in the winter of 1939. Crowds surrounded him the morning of his arrival, and all the children in town lined up in front of the train station, making an arch with their ski poles. Schneider had gained fame in Europe in the 1920s and 1930s for his ski school and his development of new skiing techniques. His is a dramatic story of Nazi persecution and internment, rescue, and starting over in a new country.

Mt. Cranmore and Eastern Slope Inn in North Conway had been purchased in 1937 by Harvey Dow Gibson, a Conway native who went on to enjoy a successful career in New York’s financial community and who was the president of Manufacturers Trust Company. His vision was to develop his home town into a major ski resort, and with Schneider’s arrival, everything came together. Schneider led the development of Cranmore while he continued to provide ski instruction. The mountain, with its modern facilities and Schneider’s star power, became one of the most popular ski resorts in the Eastern United States. Soon skiers by the thousands were flocking to North Conway, many by trains. At their peak, the Snow Trains carried 24,000 passengers each season and as many as 4,000 skiers per day from Boston, New York and Hartford.

Please join us as we celebrate the 70th anniversary of Hannes Schneider’s arrival in North Conway with this Snow Train weekend. There will be activities for all ages, including skiing, train rides, a reenactment of Schneider’s arrival in North Conway, Blessing of the Skis, a special train-themed Cranapalooza kids event at Cranmore, plus an exhibit and lecture on the Snow Trains by ski historian and local author, Tom Eastman.

Lift Tickets

Cranmore will offer special lift ticket pricing for the event on Fri. Jan. 9 - only $3.30! Regular ticket prices are available on Sat. and Sun. ($55 for adults, $42 for teen and $31 for youth).  To purchase lift tickets, visit our online store, buy in person at the resort, or call 603-356-5544.

Train Tickets

Adult Coach $20.00
Adult First Class $25.00
Adult Dome $30.00 (Upper Dome - Premier Seating)
Child Coach (4-12) $14.00
Child First Class $19.00
Child Dome $25.00

3 & Under Coach Free
3 & Under First Class $11.00
3 & Under Dome $15.00

Schedule of Events

Friday, Jan. 9, 2009

9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Ticket Rollback Day at Cranmore: Lift tickets will cost only $3.30, the same price as a lift ticket in the 1930s!

2:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
No trains run today, but our historic Station and Museum will be open for those who would like to come in and browse.

Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009

8:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Skiing and snow-tubing at Cranmore.

10:00 – 11:15 a.m.
Snow Train pulled by Steam Engine 7470 from North Conway to Glen, with run-by at the North Conway station for photos.

11:15 a.m. – 11:45 p..m.
Reenactment of Hannes Schneider’s arrival in North Conway by Snow Train. Upon disembarking from the train on Feb. 11, 1939, Hannes and his family were greeted by school children forming an archway made of ski poles.

NEW! A new permanent exhibit of the New England Ski Museum will be open during this event in Norcross Place, next door to the train station. Hours will be posted at the station.

2:00 p.m.
Blessing of the Skis in Schneider Square at Cranmore. From the 1930s and continuing for 30 years, the Blessing of the Skis was a weekly ritual at North Conway’s Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church. Skiers and snowboarders may bring their equipment to Cranmore for a return to this time-honored tradition.

2:00-9:00 p.m.
Cranapalooza with Snow Train theme at Cranmore. Cranapalooza is the popular weekly event for families at Cranmore offering night skiing, family entertainment, live music and more. A special Snow Train version of the event will be offered in partnership with the Conway Scenic Railroad. Night skiing tickets offered at a special low price with free entertainment and giveaways for the kids provided.

4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Ski history lecture on Snow Trains by Tom Eastman at the historic Eastern Slope Inn Pub fare and drinks at Zip’s with live music, vintage ski videos and movies playing in the background

Sunday, Jan. 11, 2009

10:00 a.m.
Snow Train departure for Glen, powered by historic Diesel Engine 573

8:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
All day skiing at Cranmore